Overview & Reviews

GMC is a division of General Motors that focuses on producing SUVs, trucks and vans. Though GMC's vehicles are mechanically similar to related Chevrolet products, they are typically differentiated by unique features, trim levels and minor styling tweaks. The automaker's full-size pickups and SUVs are the most compelling offerings in its lineup; in many cases, its products in these categories are class-leading.

The marque's roots lie in the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company, a truck manufacturer that was founded by Max Grabowski in 1902. The outfit was purchased by General Motors in 1909 with the intention of having it serve as a division dedicated to building tough and capable trucks. The brand came to be known as GMC Truck; early models include the T16 and T20. Most of the manufacturer's trucks were very utilitarian in nature and functioned as dump trucks, fire trucks and military vehicles. GMC Truck's 3/4-ton Model 16 saw duty in World War I, serving mostly as a battlefield ambulance.

Sales continued to climb in the 1920s. After switching to a six-cylinder Buick-built motor, GMC Truck's 1- and 2-ton trucks earned the distinction of being the fastest in their classes. By the '30s, the line had grown to include everything from half-ton pickups to 10-ton trucks and buses. New models included the popular 1936 Suburban, which was essentially a truck-based station wagon that paired a truck's utility with a car's creature comforts.

World War II was a time of expansion for GMC Truck, thanks to its acquisition of Yellow Truck & Coach. Once again, the automaker's vehicles were tapped for wartime duty. New models like the Jimmy and the DUKW (nicknamed the Duck) were widely used by American troops.

Postwar, GMC Truck models became more consumer-oriented, and many were revamped to offer styling that more closely resembled passenger cars. The 1950s and '60s witnessed an upswing in sales, thanks to the popularity of recreational vehicles like GMC-based motor homes and pickup campers. The Jimmy name was revived and assigned to the brand's first ever sport-utility vehicle in 1970. That decade and the next saw a continued rise in the brand's popularity. The early '90s saw the brief appearance of the Syclone and Typhoon. The former was a small street pickup that burned up the asphalt with its turbocharged V6 and all-wheel drive. The latter was essentially a two-door SUV based on the same platform. Either one of these oddball speedsters could rip through a quarter-mile in around 14 seconds flat, making them among the quickest vehicles ever offered by General Motors. Also, by this time, GMC Truck had trimmed its moniker; the brand is now known simply as GMC.

In the past few decades, GM has consolidated its products and GMC's trucks have become less individualistic as a result. Today, most of GMC's vehicles are virtually identical to those sold by Chevrolet. The main differences lie in minor features and design tweaks that give GMC's offerings a more upscale image.

User Reviews:

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  Great SUV GOOD MPG - 2015 GMC Terrain
  By Jose - October 15 - 1:22 pm

  after reading a few post here Id decided to post my findings as well as my experience as an automotive tech and a 2015 terrain owner. I leased a 2015 SL2 4 cyld and so far so good, not a single issue. my wife and I are very pleased with this vehicle. I have worked on many gmc terrains as well as all gm vehicles and it is true the first couple of years of the terrain and Equinox was Horrible, lots of engine issues, oil leaks etc. but gm had solved all of this issues since 2012, the reason i bought mine now in 2015 and super happy with it. the advertised MPG is a little off but not like many people states here. I come from a lot of 6 and 8 cylinder engines and it takes some getting use to a 4 cylinder then it gets better. this is also a 4000 lbs vehicle, much heavier and wider then the competition paying a price at the pump but it increases safety. the Honda crv and toyota rav4 only weights 2800 lbs, not safe at all, and the case with many other compact SUV which by the way the terrain is much bigger than most compact SUV, it almost measures a mid size one. as far as MPG goes am doing 20.8 city and 31.6 highway with 25.9 combine and i only have 600 miles of use on my terrain. I only use shell gas 87 octane but that is not important, what is really important is the amount of ethanol in the gas that you are using, the more ethanol percentage the less mpg you will get. keep in mind that most mpg test are done fro 40 to 70 mph, anything above that will impact mpg and so does bumper to bumper traffic driving which is never accounted for. no mpg is exact on any vehicle make and there are many facts that will drastically lower it. i am super happy with my terrain and having worked and owned all brands and makes in the past 35 years I will say Gm is at the very top of the list. I will like to say I dont work for GM nor do I sell cars, this is my true story and experience and hope it helps someone.

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  This car has had more recalls and issues than norm - 2010 GMC Terrain
  By Bryan Thompson - October 15 - 9:36 am

  We have had 4 recalls. Every time we take the car in to the dealership it takes days to get it fixed, after being promised it should be a 4 hour fix. They also try and charge us every time and they try and tell us its not under warranty so we have to prove it. The computer is a joke and the engine continues to have issues idling. Dont buy this vehicle as it has many issues.

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  Cant cover any terrain since in shop. - 2011 GMC Terrain
  By Diane - October 9 - 8:41 pm

  On the three years I have had my car. Ive had to fire air bag wiring. Told was not covered. Ive replaced the manifold, catalytic converter, there was a oil consumption issue, this past week I replaced the thermostat and water pump. The backup camera hasnt worked great since the fixed the consumption issue. Didnt know the navigation was suppose to work with onstar until I read comments. Cant trade in because resale value is poor. Ive pumped in over 6,000 dollars this car and the dealer had the nerve to say today. Think its time to trade in. The only reason the consumption issue was fixed is my husband complained to GMC because the dealer wasnt listening.

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  Do not buy this car - 2010 GMC Acadia
  By Erica - October 9 - 6:09 pm

  I searched for an suv to fit our family, looked at 14 different models, Acadia had it all. However, a week after I bought mine, one owner used, 108k miles, the alternator went out at $300 bucks. Two days later, it left us stranded when the timing chain guide broke, another $1800 and a month at the shop. I got it back and drove it 2 months before the engine blew because oil was not getting to the top of the engine. Had to borrow $4k, 5 months in the shop, got it back a week ago and currently have a check engine light, we are 4 hours from home. In addition to a recurring tire pressure Guage light, stabilitrack, and abs lights. Im beyond upside down in this ridiculous thing. And is not at all dependable. These are just the big things, the DVD player quit 3 days ago, among other little things. Do not buy this car.

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  2003 SONOMA - 2003 GMC Sonoma
  By Justin - October 8 - 8:53 pm

  This is a good truck to start in but it gets about 16.5 mpg to 19.0 mpg rides good, put a lot of repairs in, I think it has too much power for its size and uses

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  33000K miles and happy - 2013 GMC Acadia
  By Chris Macy - October 5 - 11:46 pm

  Consumer Reports noted that this year and model could have climate control problems. In the three summers we have had the car, we did have to have the rear compressor replaced. It was covered undr warranty, so we were happy. Otherwise, we have really enjoyed having such a sturdy and safe car for our family to ride in. It is a blast driving the AWD in the snow!

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  HAPPY 1ST OWNER - 1995 GMC Jimmy
  By hondo101 - October 4 - 3:33 pm

  As the first owner of this car & having it on the road for the past 20 years I can tell you, GMC makes a great vehicle! Sure, 7 years ago I was ready to get rid of it cause it was running badly, but I put $500 into replacing the injector lines & it came back to life like new. No one wants to spend money on car repairs but its a fact of life. Other than regular maint. , tires, exhaust, brakes & the injector spider, Ive not had to spend BIG MONEY on it. I have never had a problem starting it. I reach in & turn the key & it starts every time. I did lease a Yukon & loved how quiet it was & of course all the bells & whistles but we kept the Jimmy as our "workhorse". The bodys straight, never been hit, and could use a "makeover" but Its a blessing. AND ITS PAID FOR! Bottom line, if you get a chance to but a GMC, check it out "thoroughly" as the person you get it from may have abused it being the workhorse it was built to be, but even a Clysdale can break a leg! If you get a good one, it will last for years! If you take care of it!

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  If you want true Voice Nav, DO NOT buy this SUV - 2015 GMC Acadia
  By Alf Peterson - September 29 - 3:05 pm

  GMC is selling this vehicle as a voice navigation capable SUV. The GMC Intellilink Voice Navigation system is supposed to recognize expressions such as: “Intersection”, “Where am I”, “Points of Interest”, “My Location”, or “Current Position”. These features do not work. Several trips to the dealer have produced the service tickets with the comment, “functioning as designed.” Apparently GMC is advertising and selling vehicles that do not function as described in their sales brochures and owners manual. In addition, I have had several GMC case numbers, all of which are not resolved. Dont buy a GMC Acadia with the advertised Voice Navigation. The on-screen portion works but you have to stop the vehicle to make changes. The whole purpose of Voice Navigation is to speak a phrase like "Find me the nearest hotel" or "find me the nearest restaurant." These features DO NOT WORK. The vehicle is very comfortable and quiet. The rear bucket seats do not fold flat. The mileage is worse than my Tahoe. The acceleration is fair. Not satisfied with this vehicle at all.

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  Buyer Beware - 2010 GMC Yukon
  By Karen McAlpin - September 25 - 4:15 pm

  I am a Ford girl. My last GM roduct was an S10 Blazer in 1987. Ive been driving Ford Explorers since 91. My current 99 Explorer has over 260,000 miles, never had any problem until 3 months ago the alternator went out 2 miles from home. No problem, drove it home, put on an alternator good to go in 45 minutes. My wonderful husband was concerned about me driving it on the 160 mile round trips twice a week to help care for my Daddy who was dying, so he convinced me to switch to a used 2010 Denali with only 85,000 miles on it. Sounds great, looks great, no accidents, beautiful SUV, so we bought it from an individual. I drove it 2 days and as I approached a stop sign the check engine light came on, the engine went to low power, the positive traction warnings came on. It has a bad lifter. Its been at our mechanic almost 2 weeks while he and my husband contacted GM trying to get some help with the repair costs. GM has refused because the time limit ran out in February. My 16 year old Ford never left me stranded! If I can fix this piece of junk and get rid of it, Ill be buying a Ford. Ill NEVER BUY GM PRODUCTS AGAIN!!!!!! And I intend to share my story with anyone who will listen.

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  BEWARE!!! STAY CLEAR OF THIS VEHICLE!! - 2012 GMC Terrain
  By Gina Lehigh - September 21 - 7:52 am

  After reading numerous complaints it is totally insane that GM is not backing THEIR product!! I have a 2012 GMC Terrain, 4 cylinder. I am also experiencing a lot of what others have written on here. I am going through oil like crazy and my favorite part is the "dummy" light is not even coming on to tell me. I am checking my oil weekly and having oil changes every 2,500 miles with Penzoil Full Synthetic. The only code that has ever appeared is the cam shaft sensor, which I replaced, but I still continue to have oil consumption issues. It is ridiculous that GM will not investigate this issue after numerous complaints. I also experience the shifting issues (jerking when taking off from a stop). This car is total garbage and I will continue to just put oil into it and I refuse to replace an engine on a car that is 3 years old that I have documentation that I have properly maintained. COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS UNTIL THIS PIECE OF JUNK IS PAID OFF!!!!